


Loving Hercules

by coyotecorpse



Series: Loving You (haikyuu series) [2]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Background Relationships, Gay Disaster Ennoshita Chikara, Gay Ennoshita Chikara, He's just a tender idiot, M/M, Mutual Pining, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Rare Pairings, Self Confidence Issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-17
Updated: 2020-09-17
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:20:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,581
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26506588
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/coyotecorpse/pseuds/coyotecorpse
Summary: Ennoshita is a logical person, but all of that logic goes out the window when it comes to Tanaka.
Relationships: Ennoshita Chikara/Tanaka Ryuunosuke
Series: Loving You (haikyuu series) [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1905142
Comments: 3
Kudos: 149





	Loving Hercules

**Author's Note:**

> first time writing enno so sorry if it's a little ooc

Ennoshita is a rational man; he’s calm, focused, and intelligent. He views the world very logically or he did. Volleyball is a wild card in his mind. He doesn’t play volleyball because of any logical reason. He can easily get more exercise elsewhere, he doesn’t need any extracurriculars, and he isn’t even on the starting line up. Volleyball isn’t a very logical thing for him to stick with, but he does. He plays volleyball for selfish reasons, simply because he wants to.

His mother is a very clear cut woman. She wants him to do his best in everything, to succeed at everything. She hates volleyball. She hates that he comes home tired and sweaty with almost no homework done, hates how much time matches take up, and she hates how loyal he remains to the team despite all the cons. She tries and tries to convince him to quit again, to leave behind his team. She doesn’t understand why he stays and if asked, Ennoshita would also say he doesn’t know. He does know, has for a long time.

Coming back to volleyball his second year was a stupid decison in all honesty. He was always tired, always sweaty, and always busy. Despite this, Ennoshita is glad he returned. He didn’t come back because he loves the sport or because he missed the team. No, he returned because Tanaka asked, and, for some idiotic reason, he can never find it in himself to deny Tanaka anything.

If Ennoshita really thinks about it, him playing volleyball makes a lot of sense. He does it because he’s a pining idiot. He does it because it makes Tanaka smile and, in return, makes his heart beat wildly in his chest.

Practice is a mixed drink of tedious and exciting. It’s the same repetitive tasks over and over, but the team makes it more. Yamaguchi’s shy glances and Yachi’s nervous shouting make him grin most days. They’re both so young and full of emotion. They both joined volleyball for the same reason Ennoshita did, because they were love sick idiots. Yachi blushes at Kiyoko the same way Ennoshita does when he thinks Tanaka isn’t looking. Yamaguchi watches Tsukishima play with the same awe-struck expression that Ennoshita wears when Tanaka hits a particularly impressive spike. The team feels like home more than his house does, the team feels like family. He sees bits of himself in everything the team does, feels a bone deep connection with every move made on the court. He loves volleyball like he loves watching bad reality TV with Kinoshita, not because it's logical or reasonable but because it makes him feel something; it makes him feel like someone.

Tanaka’s voice echoes loud through the gym. It’s a rainy afternoon, an overall shitty day, but Tanaka is a ray of sunshine cutting through the clouds. He’s a loud and beautiful and very shirtless ray of sunshine. God, Ennoshita was in love with an absolute idiot.

“Did ya see that!!!” He’s screaming, swinging his shirt around his head. Ennoshita had in fact seen it. It was a good spike, solid. The ball was still bouncing on the opposite side of the court, and Ennoshita heard the resounding thud against the hardwood. Tanaka is strong, very very strong. If his position as a wing spiker isn’t proof enough, his shirtless body definitely is. Ennoshita graces the boy with a blank face that doesn’t stop him from doing a celebratory dance. Tanaka’s excitement makes butterflies flutter in his stomach. His smile lights up the gym and Ennoshita kind of wants to run away so he doesn’t have to deal with the tenderness blooming in his chest.

Instead of running, he turns his attention back to whatever show Narita and Kinoshita are yammering about next to him. The game plays out in front of them, a steady back and forth between the two small Karasuno teams. Ukai loves splitting them up for intramural matches to highlight the strengths and weaknesses of each player. Ennoshita can see why splitting them up can help the team, but unlike the coach, Ennoshita isn’t paying much attention. His eyes always lock onto Tanaka, watching the other man move with rapt attention. It’s not his fault Tanaka moves so gracefully. The way he jumps, slamming his hand into the ball, reminds Ennoshita of just how strong he is, how talented he is. He has to remind himself not to stare, to not call attention to how he really feels about the other man. Narita bumps him gently on the shoulder, grinning softly, eyes twinkling with mischief. 

“You’re turning into Yamaguchi. When are gonna grow a pair and ask him out?”

Ennoshita spares a glance at Yamaguchi who is, very predictably, staring at Tsukishima play. Man, he hopes he doesn’t look that love sick.

“Shut up. You know why.”

“I know he has the whole thing with Kiyoko but like, dude, there is no way in hell that man is straight.” Kinoshita pops in, causing Ennoshita’s tenderness to sour into annoyance. He tries not to think about Kiyoko. She’s a nice girl, sweet and oblivious to Yachi’s advances, but Tanaka’s crush on her makes Ennoshita’s skin crawl. He doesn’t need a reminder that his crush is straight every time he sees his manager.

“Can we not do this...ever.”

His friends sigh good naturedly but let it go. His eyes wander back to Tanaka, who is shouting some nonsense towards Noya, and he frowns. He really is a fool.

Time passes quickly, Ennoshita plays a few rounds, and tries his best to ignore Tanaka. Practice isn’t awful overall. He got to see Tanaka, he didn’t somehow stumble into a confession, and his friends only annoyed him slightly. He moves to go change, ready to get out of his sweaty uniform. On his way to the locker room, a flash of movement catches his attention. Nishinoya is shaking Tanaka vigorously, whisper-yelling something about being a man. Ennoshita can’t help but roll his eyes. Those two will always be a mystery to him. They don’t rely on logic or reason; they just do whatever feels right. Their wild acts have landed them in a fair bit of trouble but they never seem to mind. Ennoshita wonders vaguely what it’d be like to just go with flow, to let his emotions free for a little while, but he’s seen enough of what it can do. He’s dragged the mayhem duo out of enough trouble to know how reckless it can be to not use your head.

He slips into the locker room, grabbing his clothes quickly. He used to hate getting dressed in front of the team, but after a while it just became a part of life. His mother would call it a reason to quit; he called it the price of living. Seeing Tanaka and the rest of the team is well worth being slightly comfortable for a few moments each day.

Just as he slips his shirt over his head, the door opens creakily. He turns, curious to see who it is. He’s often the last person to change since he doesn’t mind cleaning the gym up. He’s shocked to see Tanaka standing almost sheepishly in the doorway, eyes downcast. Ennoshita quickly yanks his shirt down, hiding himself in the fabric.

“What do you need, Tanaka?” He doesn’t intend for it to come out so mean. He isn’t known for his kindness but he never truly means to be rude. He just isn’t good with people, too much room for error, too many variables to think through. Logic often fails him when it comes to casual conversation with people other than Narita and Kinoshita.

“I...uh. I was wondering if maybe you’d help me study today?” He voice is shaky and refuses to make eye contact. “And uh...maybe we could er get some food together?”

Ennoshita’s heart rate skyrockets. He doesn’t want to read too much into the question, knows deep down that Tanaka doesn’t mean a date. He can’t help the flush that stains his cheeks as he grapples with a response.

Tanaka, clearly nervous, taps his finger against his hip. Before Ennoshita can spit out his reply, Tanaka looks up and speaks. “Ya know, like a date?”

Ennoshita almost faints. He must be dreaming; he pinches the skin on his arm lightly, in an attempt to wake up. He stutters, finally making eye contact with a jittery Tanaka. “Yeah,” his voice wavers. “I’d like that.”

His nervousness fades when Tanaka’s face lights up. He sprints out the door shouting excitedly with Ennoshita on his heels. Ennoshita looks to see Noya waiting, clearly anxious to hear what happened. Kinoshita and Narita are standing at the door, smiling knowingly.

“HE SAID YES!”

Ennoshita is a rational man; he follows logic and reason. He has his whole life, ever since he was old enough to have critical thinking skills. Ennoshita is also a hopeless romantic; he follows Tanaka wherever the other man may go. He knows that it doesn’t make much sense for them to be together, but they are. They watch terrible movies, do homework, and try not to let Ennoshita’s mother know just how much kissing goes down behind closed doors. Their relationship isn’t a logical one, but Ennoshita knows deep down that they were meant to be together and that no amount of critical thinking is ever going to change how much he loves his idiot wing spiker.


End file.
